Archaeologists Dispute Claim About Undersea Wreck

[Captain Jim-sib]

Via Joshua Red : Posted on Apr 14 2005, 04:55 PM

In other words, perhaps North Carolina's economy "really really needs" this to be the QAR even if it's not?

NC's economy will be getting a boost soon. The General Assembly, having documented proof that neighboring SC & Va have been receiving money from NC residents, is working on the state's own Lottery! That shall solve many an economic woes here!

[JoshuaRed]

Good! Similar thing happened in Maine when I was living there. We (Mainers) were all driving into NH to get Powerball tix, until Maine finally realized how much revenue they were losing and brought Powerball in state.

[lady snow]

Good! Similar thing happened in Maine when I was living there. We (Mainers) were all driving into NH to get Powerball tix, until Maine finally realized how much revenue they were losing and brought Powerball in state.

pennsylvania did the same thing a few years back being the neighboring all had it. eastern pa was really giving a huge boost to delaware's economy!

[Captain Jim-sib]

While down at the NC WOODEN BOAT SHOW in Beaufort this weekend, I encountered this letter in Sunday's, May 8th edition of the Carteret County News-Times paper. Fearing that this letter from Mark Wilde-Ramsing, Director of the QAR Project, would be lost when they updated their on-line edition (& that I could not find an "Archives/Back-Issue"

link), I copied the entire letter. Paragraph 4 is especially interesting with respect to the discussion that has been going on in this forum.

Their link is: (2nd letter) http://www.carteretnewstimes.com/opinion.htm

Best Regards,

Jim-sib

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Morehead City, N.C.

May 4, 2005

TO THE EDITOR:

With great anticipation, researchers and technicians working under the auspices of the Queen Anne’s Revenge Shipwreck Project, North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch, rendezvoused Monday, May 2. This begins recovery operations for the first time since the fall of 2000 when archaeologists completed the rescue of a section of hull timbers and associated artifacts. The expedition is possible due to the development of a professionally staffed conservation laboratory in partnership with East Carolina University. As importantly, an electronic artifact tracking and analytical system for the large volume of artifacts that result from recovery operations is up and running. Finally, over 15,000 artifacts, recovered during assessment and emergency recovery activities at the QAR site, have been processed, stabilized and transferred for display and long-term storage at the N.C. Maritime Museum.

This year’s expedition, however, would not have happened without a major grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, which provided the funding to help reinvigorate the Queen Anne’s Revenge Shipwreck Project through field research and artifact recovery. In turn, the public attention will heighten travel and tourism for those seeking to learn more about the classic shipwreck suspected to be Blackbeard’s lost flagship, and in turn, provide an economic boost for North Carolina and the coast.

A second condition of the grant is job training in high-skill fields that include artifact conservation, marine studies, and computer technology, provided through East Carolina University, Cape Fear Community College, University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Carteret Community College, respectively.

The opportunity to continue recovery at the shipwreck affords archaeologists a valuable opportunity to test current understanding of site layout, and past conditions and processes that have turned a large heavily armed 18th century wooden ship into a scatter of artifacts lying on the seabed. The detective work continues to untangle the mystery of the infamous pirate ship. Why and how did it wreck on the outer shoals of a seldom-used inlet? Why were many useful items, such as anchors, cannons and pewter plates left aboard to be swallowed by the sea while many other items are absent, most notably personal effects like buttons, buckles, coins and firearms?

To get at these and many other questions, archaeologists have developed a rigorous plan to sample areas throughout the site using 5-foot by 5-foot excavation units. They expect to find evidence of the galley stove, explore the officers’ quarters in the stern, search for more cannons and nearly quadruple the number of artifacts recovered over the past eight years. Beyond research, recovering a stratified sample from across the shipwreck will ensure that an important collection has been removed from harm’s way in the unfortunate event of a hurricane hitting the North Carolina coast in the near future.

Success of this expedition is dependent on many. At the top of the list is the Marine Technology Program at Cape Fear Community College, which is furnishing their research vessel R/V Martech, captain and mate in return for training opportunities for their students. The U.S. Coast Guard Fort Macon Station, a situation that logistically couldn’t be better, is providing docking and staging facilities.

As in the past, the N.C. Maritime Museum, the Institute of Marine Science, UNC-CH and Intersal Inc., who first found the shipwreck site in 1996, continue to make important contributions.

Many people, especially our many friends in Carteret County, have quietly and steadily provided their support for the project and without it, the quality of research and efforts to heighten public awareness of this important discovery would not have been possible.

Thanks to all for your support. We are happy you can join us as we explore one of the most exciting, internationally recognized shipwrecks discovered to date, which lies in North Carolina waters a short distance off the coast. Watch for expedition updates on the QAR Web site www.qaronline.org to follow our progress during May. And if you want to see things first hand, plan a visit to Fort Macon State Park because looking out from the ramparts of the fort you can easily see the recovery vessels anchored on the site.

From that viewpoint you can let your mind wander for it is not hard to imagine a large wooden, three-mast, square-rigged ship flying the black flag sailing directly for you as it attempts to make its way past the treacherous inlet shoals into the protected harbor of Beaufort.

MARK WILDE-RAMSING

Project Director QAR

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[Captain Jim-sib]

While on the way to Ocracoke Island for the family vacation last week I stopped by the NC Maritime Museum and had a chat with nautical historian David Moore. He has run across a document that may change the origin of the QAR. As initially thought, the QAR was the Dutch flute Condor which, when captured by Hornigold, was a French slaver.

The recently researched document alludes to a British privateer vessel of the same name that served during the Queen Anne's War. After her service in that conflict, this Condor became a slaver.

One implication of her being a British privateer would be that she may have been flushed deck.

Thus, more questions arise as more is discovered.

Best regards,

Jim-sib